Purpose

This study aims to examine the disclosure determinants of environmental performance indicators (EPIs) for a sample of US firms to understand if these disclosures are reliable or whether they are biased towards the reporting of positive information.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a panel data analysis to examine the association between firms’ EPIs disclosures and their environmental performances, and other economic and legitimacy factors.

Findings

The results show that firms’ disclosures are not associated with the level of environmental performance and that firms continue to provide EPI information even if they witness a decline in their environmental performance. The evidence suggests that firms’ environmental disclosures are reliable and indicative of their environmental performance.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that mandating EPI disclosures may increase the level of the information reported and reduce firms’ discretion over the disclosure of such information.

Originality/value

Reporting of EPIs is directly linked to firms’ environmental performances. By examining the association between EPI disclosures and environmental performance, the study contributes to the ongoing debate about firms’ reporting and whether it is informative to its stakeholders or whether firms use this type of information to legitimize their operations and portray it in a positive light.

中文翻译：

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公司披露的环境绩效指标是可靠的还是有偏见的信息？看一下底层驱动程序

目的

这项研究旨在检查环境绩效指标（EPI）的决定因素，以使美国公司的样本了解这些披露是否可靠或是否偏向积极信息的报告。

设计/方法/方法

该研究使用面板数据分析来检查企业的EPI披露与其环境绩效以及其他经济和合法性因素之间的关联。

发现

结果表明，企业的披露与环境绩效的水平无关，即使企业见证了其环境绩效的下降，它们仍继续提供EPI信息。有证据表明，公司的环境披露是可靠的，并表明其环境绩效。

实际影响

研究结果表明，强制实施EPI披露可能会提高报告的信息水平，并降低企业对此类信息披露的自由裁量权。

创意/价值

EPI的报告与企业的环境绩效直接相关。通过检查EPI披露与环境绩效之间的关联，该研究有助于有关公司报告以及它是否对利益相关者有益的争论，或者公司是否使用此类信息使他们的经营合法化并以正面的眼光进行辩论。